Self propelling fire extinguishing charge containing a double halogen hydrocarbon compound



SELF PROPELLING FIRE EXTINGUISHING CHRGE CONTAINING A DOUBLE HALOGEN HYDROCARBON COMPOUND Filed June 23, 1950 Patented Nov. 26, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT o FFlcE SELF PROPELLING FIRE EXTINGUISHING CHARGE coNTAmmG A DOUBLE HALO-- GEN HYnRooAnBoN COMPOUND .Ware

Application June 23, 1930, Serial No. 463,155

16 Claims.

'I'he invention relates to chemistry'and more .particularly to the use for fire extinguisher pur. poses of halo-nuoro derivatives. of. hydrocarbons.

An object of this invention is to provide a lre extinguishing mode in which the propelling agent does not have excessive pressures, is nontoxic, and can be stored in its container without appreciable decomposition.

Another object of this invention is to provide a fire extinguisher containing a halo-fluoro derivative of a hydrocarbon.

Another object of this invention is to provide a fire extinguisher composition in which a haloiiuoro derivative of a hydrocarbon is an important factor.

Another object of this invention is to provide a iire extinguishing compound which has a rel-V atively constant low self propelling pressure.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view, somewhat diagrammatic, of a re extinguisher embodying features of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a modifica.- tion of a re extinguisher embodying features of this invention;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional View of a further modified embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional View of a further modification of a lire extinguisher embodyingfeatures of this invention;

Fig. 5 is a modified form of the extinguisher shown in Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a modified form of extinguisher shown in Fig. 1.

I have discovered that halo-fluoro derivatives of the hydrocarbons are particularly useful for the purpose of extinguishing lires. There are many of these derivatives which may be used, 'cut the outstanding characteristic is that the derivative includes some other halogen besides fluorine. Preferably the chloro-nuoro derivatives of the hydrocarbons in which at least half of the hydrogen atoms have been replaced by a halogen are used. It is desirable that these derivatives should have asuicient pressure at ordinary temperatures in order to be self propelling. Thus CClzFz, CHzClF, CHClaF and CHClFz of the methane derivatives and mixtures of the same with inert solvents, have been found to be satisfactory when it is desired to have the derivative self propelling. CFaCHClF, CHFaCClFz, CFaCHzCl, CFaCClzF, CClFzCClFz among the derivatives of the ethane group have also been found satisfactory when the deriva- 'tives are desired tov be self propelling.

Other halo-fluoro derivatives can also be used of the non-self propelling type where some propellant is provided -either separately or mixed with them. 'I'hus CChF of the methane derivatives and a great mass of ethane derivatives lo such as CFaCHCLz, CI-IFzCClFz, CHFzCCl, CCIF2CC12F, CFsCCla, CHClFCClzF among the ethane group derivatives have been found to be suitably useful as re extinguishers where other l5 propelling means is provided.

In Fig. l is shown a re extinguisher in which a self propelling halo-fluoro derivative of a hydrocarbon is used. This fire extinguisher includes a container 20 for the fire extinguishing 20 composition 2| anda discharge device 22 for releasing the re extinguishing composition. The

device 22 may include a valve 23 operated by a i trigger 24.., A flexible pipe 25 may be. provided` inside of the container 20 so that the extinguisher 25 tends to empty completely in liquid form all of the composition regardless of the position of the extinguisher.v In this form the composition'Zl may contain one or a mixture of the halo-fluoro derivatives of hydrocarbons. These substances are excellent fire extinguishing substances and are useful by themselves for extinguishingA res. Thus it may be either substantially pure CChFz or CHClFz or a mixture with each other or with other extinguishing media such as carbon tetrachloride.

The type of apparatus shown in Fig. 1 is rendered available for .use with carbon tetrachloride by the addition of a halo-iluoro derivative of the hydrocarbons. Thus a solution of C014 and CClzFz may-be made which has a substantially constant discharge pressure untilall of the contents are emptied, and this pressure is thus never excessive. The composition including CC14 and CClzFz is thus a very desirable iire extinguishing 45 compound. y

In Fig. 2 the halo-fluoro derivatives of the hydrocarbons are used as propellants for some other fire extinguishing chemical, for instance of the type which is decomposed by heat to form 5o extinguishing gases. Thus the container 30 may contain sodium bicarbonate and the container 3l may contain a suitable halouoro derivative .of a hydrocarbon by itself or with some other nre extinguishing liquid. Preferably the container 3| u contains a body 32 of dichloro-diiluoro methane, CClzFz. The containers 30 and 3l are separated by a diaphragm 32 which is pierced by the needle 33 operated by the trigger 34 for operation of the device. .When the diaphragm 32 is perforated thebpressure on the CClzFz is relieved, causing the liquid CClaFz to evaporate and the resulting gases under slight pressure drive the sodium bicarbonate out of container 30. CClaFz thus acts as a propellant. Preferably a cork 3B is so inserted in the opening 31 oi the container 30 that it is ilrst driven out by the release oi.' the propellant in the container 3|.

In the modication shown in Fig. 3 the diaphragm 32 is replaced by an explosive cap 40 which is exploded by a snap-acting plunger 4I, pulled against the action of the spring Ila. and thereafter released by the yoke 4lb operated by the trigger 4Ic. Otherwise the modication shown in Fig. 3 may be substantially the same as shown in Fig. 2.

In the modication shown in Fig. 4, the container 45 contains a chemical which is decomposed by heat to form extinguishing gases and this chemical 46 may be sodium bicarbonate, NaHCOa. The container 41 may be placed inside of the container 45 and this container 41 may be charged with a suitable halo-nuoro derivative of a hydrocarbon, preferably CClzFz or CI-IClFa or a mixture of these two. In order to operate this device the valve 48 may be opened to release the propellant through the tube 49 in a manner to drive out the rire extinguishing composition (a mixture of NaI-ICO: and CClzFz) through the outlet 50 and through a hose or the like.

Themodification shown in Fig. 5 is practically the same apparatus as shown in Fig. 4 except that the sodium bicarbonate is replaced by water, orv

any other nre extinguishing liquid such as carbon tetrachloride. ,In the modication shown in Fig. 6 an apparatus substantially as shown in Fig. 1 may be used. with the exception that a certain proportion of liquid in the container 26a may be water while the remainder of the liquid may be a halo-fluoro derivative of a hydrocarbon by itself or mixed with carbon tetrachloride. In this case, the CClzFz, for instance, is not miscible with the water and ordinarily there would be two separate bodies of liquid H2O shown at 5| and CClzFz by itself or mixed with CCla. -show'nat 52. Thus in the modieations disclosed in Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 the non-self-propelling substance is propelled out of the container by the escape of the low-boiling non-toxic gases resulting from the evaporation of the halo-nuoro derivative.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form,

it is to be understood that other-forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope oi.' the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A nre extinguishing mixture containing a iluorine derivative of a hydrocarbon and a chemical decomposed b'y heat to form extinguishing gases.

2. A fire extinguishing mixture containing a fluorine derivative of a hydrocarbon and a chemi- 5 cal decomposed by heat to form CO2.

3. A nre extinguishing mixture including a non-self propelling rire extinguishing substance and a halo-nuoro derivative of a hydrocarbon as a propellant. 10

4. A nre extinguishing mixture containing as nre extinguishing substances, carbon tetrachloride and a halo-nuoro derivative of a hydrocarbon.

5. A re extinguishing mixture containing as nre extinguishing substances, carbon tetra- 15 chloride and dichloro-diiiuoro methane.

6. A nre extinguishing mixture containing as nre extinguishing substances a non-seli-propelling` re extinguishing substance and an organic halo-nuoro derivative as the propellant. 2o

7. A nre extinguishing mixture containing as nre extinguishing substances a non-selI-propelling fire extinguishing substance and an aliphatic halo-nuoro derivative as the propellant.

8. A mixture comprising a non-selI-propelling 2g substance and an organic'double halogen derivative containing uorine as the propellant.

9. A mixture comprising a non-self-propelling substance and an allphaticdouble halogen derivative containing fluorine as the propellant. 30

10. A mixture comprising a non-self-propelling substance and a` hydrocarbon double halogen derivative containing fluorine as the propellant.

11. A mixture comprising a non-self-propelling substance and an aliphatic hydrocarbon 35 double halogen derivative containing'uorlne as the propellant.

12. The method comprising evaporating a halofluoro derivative of a hydrocarbon to create a pressure, and utilizing the pressure so created to 40 force a non-self propelling substance from a container. v .A

13. The method comprising evaporating a chloro-nuoro derivative of a hydrocarbon to create a pressure, and utilizing the pressure so created to force a non-self propelling substance from a container.

14. 'I'he method comprising evaporating a halouoro derivative ci.' methane to create a pressure, and utilizing the pressure so created to force a non-self propelling substance from a container.

15. The method comprising evaporating a chloro-nuoro derivative oi.' methane to create a pressure', and utilizing the pressure so created to 55 force a non-self propellingsubstance irom` a container.

16. 'I'he method comprising evaporating CClz'Fz to create a pressure, and' utilizing the pressure so created to force a non-selI-propelling subo stance from its container. l

FRANCIS R. BICHOWSKY. 

